What
Is
Heaviness
of
the
Head
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
25,
1987
Our
sages
said
(Berachot
30b),
“One
does
not
pray
unless
with
heaviness
of
the
head.”
RASHI
interprets
that
heaviness
of
the
head
means
subduing.
Our
sages
also
said
there,
“One
does
not
pray
out
of
sadness,
and
not
out
of
lightheadedness.”
RASHI
interprets
that
lightheadedness
means
the
opposite
of
heaviness
of
the
head.
We
should
understand
that
when
he
says,
“only
out
of
heaviness
of
the
head,”
it
means
that
if
he
does
not
have
heaviness
of
the
head
he
should
not
pray.
But
afterwards
it
is
written,
“One
does
not
pray,
and
not
out
of
lightheadedness.”
This
means
that
if
there
is
no
lightheadedness
then
one
can
pray,
and
there
is
no
need
[to
wait]
for
heaviness
of
the
head.
Rather,
this
implies
that
if
he
does
not
have
lightheadedness
then
he
has
heaviness
of
the
head.
And
also
to
the
contrary,
if
he
does
not
have
heaviness
of
the
head
then
he
is
already
lightheaded.
That
is,
there
is
nothing
in
the
middle
between
heaviness
of
the
head
and
lightheadedness.
Because
of
it,
there
is
no
contradiction
between
the
phrases.
However,
we
should
understand
how
it
is
possible
that
there
is
nothing
between
heaviness
of
the
head
and
lightheadedness.
And
mainly,
we
should
understand
what
is
the
prayer,
of
which
they
said,
“One
does
not
pray
unless,”
according
to
the
conditions
that
our
sages
said.
In
other
words,
what
is
a
prayer?
There
must
be
these
conditions
there;
otherwise,
it
is
impossible
to
pray.
Our
sages
said
(Taanit
2),
“To
love
the
Lord
your
God
and
to
serve
Him
with
all
your
heart.”
Which
is
work
that
is
in
the
heart?
It
is
prayer.
We
should
understand
why
a
prayer
is
called
“work
in
the
heart,”
more
than
the
rest
of
the
Mitzvot
[commandments]
in
the
Torah.
Is
the
study
of
Torah
not
as
great
a
work
as
prayer?
We
should
also
ask
why
is
it
that
specifically
prayer
is
called
“work
in
the
heart.”
We
cannot
say
that
only
a
prayer
belongs
to
the
heart
and
not
the
Torah,
since
the
Torah
belongs
to
the
heart,
as
well.
It
is
as
Rabbi
Eben
Ezra
says
(presented
in
the
introduction
to
the
book
Panim
Masbirot),
“Know
that
the
Torah
was
given
only
to
men
of
heart.”
Thus,
we
should
understand
1)
why
a
“prayer”
is
regarded
as
work
more
than
the
rest
of
the
Mitzvot,
2)
why
specifically
a
prayer
is
called
“the
work
in
the
heart,”
and
not
“the
work
in
the
mind.”
Concerning
prayer,
which
is
work
in
the
heart,
our
sages
told
us,
“One
does
not
pray
unless
out
of
heaviness
of
the
head.”
This
means
that
precisely
through
this
his
prayer
will
be
in
order.
Thus,
we
should
understand
what
is
“heaviness
of
the
head.”
To
understand
the
above,
we
first
need
to
reiterate
what
is
known
concerning
the
purpose
of
creation.
Although
it
is
clear,
we
should
reiterate
in
order
to
remember
the
goal,
which
is
a
guarantee
that
they
will
not
miss
the
goal.
Concerning
the
purpose
of
creation,
we
should
speak
of
only
two
topics:
a)
the
Creator,
who
is
the
Giver,
b)
the
creatures—the
receivers
of
the
abundance.
The
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
“His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations,”
has
created
creatures
to
receive
what
He
wishes
to
give
them,
meaning
to
receive
the
delight
He
wishes
to
impart
upon
them.
This
is
the
meaning
of
doing
good,
since
it
cannot
be
said
that
one
is
receiving
something
good
without
enjoyment.
In
other
words,
if
he
does
not
enjoy
it,
why
is
it
regarded
as
good?
Yet,
we
see
that
a
person
enjoys
only
what
he
craves.
For
this
reason,
He
has
created
in
the
creatures
a
desire
to
crave
to
receive
pleasures.
This
is
called
“will
to
receive
for
one’s
own
sake.”
In
the
upper
worlds,
the
will
to
receive
for
one’s
own
sake
is
called
Malchut,
and
also
Aviut
[thickness],
once
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself
has
been
disqualified
and
it
is
forbidden
to
use
this
Kli
[vessel]
without
corrections.
However,
a
correction
was
placed
here
on
the
will
to
receive,
not
to
use
it
as
it
emerged
upon
its
creation,
meaning
in
the
first
root
when
it
was
born,
due
to
the
disparity
of
form
between
it
and
the
Creator,
since
the
Creator
is
the
giver
and
the
creatures
will
be
receiving.
In
order
to
have
equivalence
of
form,
meaning
that
the
receiver,
too,
will
be
regarded
as
a
giver,
or
else
there
will
not
be
equivalence
of
form,
causing
the
creatures
to
feel
unpleasantness
upon
reception
of
the
delight
and
pleasure,
called
“shame.”
In
order
to
spare
the
creatures
this
shame,
a
correction
was
made
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow.”
This
means
that
although
he
is
receiving
with
his
Kli,
called
“craving,”
meaning
that
it
is
impossible
to
enjoy
the
benefit
unless
he
craves
to
receive
it,
but
the
correction
is
that
he
should
place
an
intention
over
the
act.
That
is,
he
must
see
that
although
the
desire
to
receive
it
is
in
full
power,
if
he
cannot
aim
to
bestow
contentment
upon
his
Maker,
he
relinquishes
the
pleasure
despite
his
yearning.
The
reason
he
relinquishes
it
should
be
only
because
he
wants
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
as
our
sages
said,
“As
He
is
merciful,
you
are
merciful.”
From
that
correction
extends
to
us
a
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment.
That
is,
before
the
lower
ones
have
this
aim
and
can
relinquish
even
the
greatest
pleasures
if
they
cannot
aim
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
there
is
darkness
in
the
world.
In
other
words,
the
Creator
is
hidden
from
the
creatures;
they
do
not
feel
Him.
Yet,
we
must
believe
above
reason
that
He
has
connection
with
the
creatures
and
He
has
created
them
in
order
to
impart
upon
them
delight
and
pleasure.
This
is
not
so
with
what
appears
to
our
eyes.
Before
we
can
aim
to
bestow,
we
are
placed
under
the
governance
of
the
darkness
and
nothing
spiritual
illuminates.
At
that
time
the
purpose
of
creation,
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
is
not
disclosed
because
at
that
time
they
see
only
suffering
and
pain
in
the
world,
and
do
not
see
the
guidance
of
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
Yet,
we
must
believe
that
the
purpose
of
creation,
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
is
the
absolute
truth,
and
the
reason
we
do
not
see
this
is
because
of
a
correction
for
us,
which
is
called
“Tzimtzum
and
concealment
of
the
face.”
This
is
as
he
says
(in
“Preface
to
the
Wisdom
of
Kabbalah,”
Item
10),
“Thus,
you
find
that
this
soul,
which
is
the
light
of
life
that
is
dressed
in
the
body,
extends
existence
from
absence.
As
it
traverses
the
four
worlds
ABYA,
it
becomes
increasingly
removed
from
the
light
of
His
face
until
it
comes
into
its
designated
Kli,
called
Guf
[body].
And
even
if
the
light
in
it
has
so
diminished
that
its
origin
becomes
undetectable…”
This
causes
us
to
have
work
on
faith
because
it
is
no
longer
apparent
in
our
soul
that
it
comes
from
the
Creator.
Instead,
we
need
special
work
to
believe
in
the
Creator,
that
He
is
the
one
leading
all
the
creatures.
It
therefore
follows
that
all
the
heaviness
we
feel
in
the
work
of
bestowal
is
not
because
it
is
hard
for
us
to
work
without
reward
because
of
our
nature,
called
“will
to
receive.”
Rather,
there
is
a
completely
different
matter
here,
since
according
to
the
rule
that
Baal
HaSulam
said,
there
is
a
trait
in
our
nature
that
every
lower
one
wants
to
annul
before
the
upper
one,
who
is
the
most
important
to
him.
A
common
person
derives
pleasure
from
serving
an
important
person,
as
our
sages
said
(Kidushin
7),
“With
an
important
person,
she
gives,
and
he
says,
‘You
are
hereby
sanctified,’”
for
his
reception,
which
is
in
order
to
delight
the
one
who
gives
him,
is
regarded
as
complete
bestowal
and
giving
to
her.
The
reason
for
this
is
that
by
nature,
a
person
enjoys
giving
and
bestowing
upon
an
important
person.
This
brings
up
the
question,
Why
is
it
difficult
for
us
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
bestow?
The
answer
is
that
because
of
the
correction
of
the
bread
of
shame,
a
correction
was
made
called
“Tzimtzum,
concealment,
and
darkness,”
whereby
as
long
as
the
creatures
are
under
the
control
of
the
receiver
for
himself,
they
are
so
removed
from
their
root
that
their
origin
becomes
undetectable.
Instead,
we
were
given
the
work
above
reason,
where
although
we
do
not
see
or
feel
any
spiritual
matter,
we
must
do
everything
above
reason.
This
causes
us
the
heaviness
in
the
work
of
bestowal.
It
therefore
follows
that
when
we
want
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth
in
the
work,
we
must
ask
the
Creator
to
give
us
the
power
of
faith.
It
is
written
(in
the
prayer
of
Rabbi
Elimelech,
“A
Prayer
before
a
Prayer”),
“Set
Your
faith
in
our
hearts
forever,
ceaselessly.”
This
means
that
the
Creator
will
give
us
the
power
of
faith
so
we
will
feel
that
we
are
serving
the
King
of
Kings,
and
our
body
will
certainly
annul
“as
a
candle
before
a
torch.”
However,
since
we
are
born
with
an
inherent
mind
and
reason,
which
is
our
leader,
our
guide,
who
tells
us
what
is
good
and
what
is
bad
for
us,
for
this
reason,
anything
that
we
do
not
understand
with
our
reason,
it
tells
us
it
is
not
good
for
us.
Therefore,
when
we
are
given
the
work
of
faith
above
reason,
our
reason
comes
and
makes
us
think
that
we
should
not
walk
on
this
path.
Instead,
it
argues,
“Did
the
Creator
give
us
a
mind
for
no
reason?
He
certainly
created
everything
for
our
sake,”
meaning
so
we
will
enjoy
it.
And
it
brings
as
evidence
the
verse,
“One
should
praise
according
to
one’s
intellect.”
All
of
a
sudden,
the
person
comes
to
the
body
and
says,
“It’s
true
that
until
now
you
have
been
my
guide,
and
I
never
did
anything
against
reason,
meaning
I
followed
your
command.
But
henceforth,
know
that
anything
you
tell
me
to
do,
I
will
not
listen
to
you,
but
only
according
to
what
I
heard
from
books
and
authors.
I
take
upon
me
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
above
reason,
and
I
want
to
serve
the
Creator
as
befits
a
great
king.
From
now
on,
I
do
not
want
to
be
concerned
with
it
at
all,
but
that
my
thoughts
will
be
only
for
Your
sake,
the
Creator.”
It
therefore
follows
that
in
order
to
be
able
to
get
to
the
truth,
all
that
a
person
lacks
is
faith
above
reason.
The
body
resists
this
with
all
its
might,
and
from
this
extends
our
lack
of
progress
in
the
work
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“heaviness
of
the
head,”
for
“head”
means
man’s
reason.
If
a
person
follows
what
the
reason
tells
him,
it
is
called
“lightheadedness,”
meaning
it
is
something
that
is
easy
for
the
reason
to
tolerate,
for
one
to
do
things
that
the
reason
dictates
to
him.
But
if
a
person
wants
to
go
above
reason,
this
is
called
“heaviness
of
the
head,”
meaning
it
is
difficult
for
the
reason,
called
“head,”
to
tolerate
when
a
person
wants
to
go
against
reason,
and
regards
it
as
a
burden
and
a
load.
This
is
called
“heaviness
of
the
head.”
By
this
we
should
interpret
what
is
written,
“One
does
not
pray
unless
with
heaviness
of
the
head.”
In
other
words,
our
sages
advise
us
how
one
should
pray.
They
tell
us,
“only
with
heaviness
of
the
head.”
This
means
that
one
should
see
what
he
needs
before
he
prays,
and
on
this
lack
he
prays
that
the
Creator
will
satisfy
his
lack.
Therefore,
one
should
first
check
oneself
to
see
if
he
can
take
upon
himself
to
walk
in
faith
above
reason,
called
“heaviness
of
the
head,”
and
only
then
will
pray
that
the
Creator
will
establish
the
faith
in
his
heart,
for
if
there
is
faith
above
reason,
then
he
has
everything,
as
was
said,
that
the
small
one
annuls
before
the
great
one.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
RASHI
interpreted,
that
heaviness
of
the
head
means
subduing.
What
is
subduing?
It
is
when
a
person
subdues
before
the
great
one
and
heeds
the
view
of
the
great
one.
This
means
that
if
a
little
child
tells
something
to
a
grownup,
and
the
grownup
sees
that
what
the
child
is
saying
makes
sense,
the
grownup
will
certainly
listen
to
him.
Yet,
this
does
not
mean
that
the
grown
one
subdued
before
the
little
one.
Rather,
what
is
subduing?
If
a
person
seeks
the
advice
of
the
great
one
about
what
he
should
do,
and
the
great
one
tells
him,
“Do
this
and
that,”
and
the
person
sees
that
it
makes
no
sense
at
all,
and
if
he
asked
someone
if
he
should
listen
to
what
the
great
one
said,
he
would
certainly
tell
him
that
it
makes
no
sense
and
he
must
not
listen
to
him,
yet
if
that
person
subdues
himself,
meaning
subjugates
his
reason
and
the
reason
of
the
public,
which
are
against
the
reason
of
the
great
one,
and
listens
to
him,
this
is
called
“subduing,”
when
he
listens
to
the
great
one
above
reason.
This
is
very
difficult
to
do,
and
it
is
called
“The
matter
is
heavy
to
do.”
It
is
also
called
“I
am
of
heavy
mouth
and
heavy
tongue,”
said
about
Moses.
Mosses
is
called
“the
faithful
shepherd,”
since
Moses
is
called
“faith,”
and
with
faith
there
is
no
mouth
or
tongue,
for
mouth
and
tongue
mean
that
he
explains
the
matters
with
mind
and
reason,
while
Moses
is
faith
above
reason.
From
this
we
can
understand
what
RASHI
interprets
about
lightheadedness
being
the
opposite
of
heaviness
of
the
head,
and
why
he
does
not
interpret
directly
but
says
that
it
is
the
opposite
of
heaviness
of
the
head.
It
is
so
because
he
wants
to
interpret
to
us
more
clearly
what
is
heaviness
of
the
head,
that
it
is
about
faith
above
reason.
This
is
why
he
tells
us
that
lightheadedness
is
the
opposite
of
faith
above
reason.
In
other
words,
he
explains
to
us
that
there
is
nothing
in
between
them,
but
either
faith
above
reason,
called
“heaviness
of
the
head,”
or
within
reason,
called
“lightheadedness,”
since
something
that
is
clothed
in
mind
and
reason
is
easy
for
the
head
to
agree
for
a
person
to
do
these
actions,
which
are
built
on
a
foundation
that
the
outer
intellect
understands.
But
if
a
person
is
told
to
do
things
that
contradict
the
mind
and
reason,
it
is
heaviness
of
the
head.
That
is,
it
is
a
heavy
burden
for
the
intellect
to
tolerate.
Therefore,
when
one
is
told
to
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
“as
an
ox
to
the
burden
and
as
a
donkey
to
the
load,”
he
objects.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
why
the
Mishnah
says,
“One
does
not
pray
unless
with
heaviness
of
the
head.”
It
means
that
if
he
has
no
heaviness
of
the
head,
he
must
not
pray.
The
Gemara
says,
“One
does
not
pray
out
of
lightheadedness.”
We
were
wondering,
for
here
it
means
that
if
he
has
no
lightheadedness,
even
though
he
has
no
heaviness
of
the
head,
he
can
already
pray.
This
means
that
there
is
no
in
between
here.
And
according
to
the
above,
there
really
is
no
in
between.
Rather,
either
he
has
faith
above
reason,
called
“heaviness
of
the
head,”
or
faith
within
reason,
called
“lightheadedness,”
since
it
is
easy
for
the
mind
to
understand
and
agree
if
the
intellect
mandates
that
he
should
do
these
actions.
But
in
between,
there
is
nothing.
Therefore,
one
who
wants
to
pray
to
the
Creator
certainly
has
faith,
or
he
would
not
come
to
pray.
However,
a)
either
he
prays
on
a
basis
of
faith
within
reason,
called
“lightheadedness,”
as
RASHI
interpreted,
that
he
has
no
subduing,
b)
or
he
prays
with
heaviness
of
the
head,
when
he
has
subduing.
That
is,
he
subdues
his
reason
and
does
not
look
at
it,
as
though
it
is
worthless,
and
his
entire
basis
is
built
on
faith
above
reason.
Now
we
can
understand
the
question
we
asked,
Why
is
prayer
called
“work”?
Moreover,
it
is
called
“work
in
the
heart”!
It
is
known
that
“work”
means
that
a
person
needs
to
do
something
that
the
body
does
not
enjoy
doing.
This
is
called
“work.”
For
this
reason,
a
person
cannot
work
without
reward.
But
if
a
person
enjoys
the
work,
it
is
not
regarded
as
exertion.
This
means
that
the
same
act
that
a
person
does,
to
one
who
does
not
enjoy
doing
it,
it
is
regarded
as
“labor,”
and
to
another,
who
enjoys
what
he
is
doing,
it
is
not
regarded
as
labor
or
work.
Hence,
naturally,
he
does
not
need
to
receive
any
reward
in
return
for
it.
Because
a
person
cannot
do
anything
without
pleasure,
when
he
does
something
he
does
not
enjoy,
why
does
he
do
it?
The
answer
is
that
he
is
expecting
to
benefit
from
the
work
he
is
doing
now
at
a
later
time,
meaning
that
he
will
receive
reward
for
the
work
and
will
enjoy.
It
follows
that
when
one
does
something
without
pleasure,
from
where
does
he
derive
strength
to
work?
We
must
say
that
he
is
looking
at
the
reward,
and
this
gives
him
fuel
for
the
work.
For
example,
assume
that
the
ADMOR
of
Lubavitch
lands
at
the
airport
and
he
has
a
suitcase.
He
gives
it
to
the
porter,
whose
job
is
to
take
the
suitcase
to
the
taxi.
Afterward,
he
will
demand
his
payment
for
his
work.
This
is
so
because
he
does
not
recognize
the
importance
of
the
rabbi.
Yet,
if
the
rabbi
were
to
give
the
suitcase
to
one
of
his
followers,
and
the
rabbi
would
want
to
pay
him
for
his
work,
the
follower
will
not
want
to
receive,
since
he
already
received
pleasure
while
working,
for
he
considers
it
a
fortune
to
serve
the
rabbi.
It
is
as
we
explained,
a
prayer
should
be
with
heaviness
of
the
head,
meaning
when
a
person
feels
that
he
does
not
have
faith
above
reason,
meaning
that
the
reason
does
not
mandate
him
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
yet
the
person
understands
the
primary
goal
should
be
to
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.
Since
the
reason
objects
to
this,
he
must
go
against
reason,
and
this
is
very
hard
work.
Since
he
is
asking
the
Creator
to
give
him
something
to
which
all
of
his
organs
object,
it
follows
that
each
and
every
prayer
he
makes
to
the
Creator
has
its
special
work.
This
is
why
a
prayer
is
called
“work
in
the
heart,”
meaning
that
he
wants
to
go
against
the
intellect
and
the
mind,
which
tell
him
the
complete
opposite.
This
is
why
it
is
not
called
“the
work
of
the
brain,”
since
the
work
of
the
brain
means
that
a
person
exerts
to
understand
something
with
his
mind
and
reason.
But
here
he
does
not
want
to
understand
with
his
reason
that
we
should
serve
the
Creator
in
a
state
of
knowing.
Rather,
he
wants
to
serve
the
Creator
specifically
with
faith
above
reason.
This
is
why
a
prayer
is
called
“work
in
the
heart.”
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
“One
does
not
pray,”
for
a
prayer
is
a
lack.
When
a
person
lacks
something
and
cannot
obtain
his
wish
by
himself,
he
asks
others
to
help
him.
Therefore,
when
one
comes
to
pray
to
the
Creator
to
help
him,
he
first
needs
to
see
what
he
really
needs,
meaning
that
if
he
were
given
what
he
asks,
he
will
be
a
complete
person
who
lacks
nothing.
This
pertains
specifically
to
faith,
for
when
a
person
is
rewarded
with
permanent
faith
above
reason,
he
is
rewarded
with
everything.
This
is
why
they
said,
“One
does
not
pray
unless
with
a
lack
of
heaviness
of
the
head,”
meaning
for
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
light
of
faith.